Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a seasoned 23cm (9in) cast iron skillet or other heavy ovenproof skillet, a 23cm (9in) round cake pan or pie pan.
Combine the sugar and the lemon zest in a large bowl and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Whisk in the salt and the extracts/vanilla seeds. Using a silicone spatula, stir in the flour, and then fold in the butter.
Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the almonds and extra sugar (if you’re using a cake or pie pan, place it on a baking sheet).
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and a little crisp at the edges – the inside of the cake will remain moist. Remove from the oven, let the cake cool 5 minutes in the pan, over a wire rack, then run a thin knife around the sides and bottom of the cake to loosen it*. Serve the cake warm or cool.

* I used a fluted tart pan and it was impossible to do that; I cooled the cake in the pan completely then carefully unmolded it, first loosing some of the edges with the handle of a teaspoon, then loosing the bottom of the cake with a large metal spatula

Yes! I definitely agree with you on that! It's funny listening to those English songs I heard when I couldn't speak English and realising now how wrong I got all the lyrics! :-D This cake sounds delicious and looks so pretty!

Hi Patricia, what a beautiful cake!ut I have a question that has nothing to do with it, I've been wondering about what pan for baking pies to buy, I've notice you have a non-stick one and I have one of those (removable bottom) and I always have to use parchment paper so my cakes won't come out with a black bottom. Does your pan in the photo do that?Thanks and lovely blog.